[Havisham]

Originally Posted by KDuffer

I realize that right now you are focused on losing weight and best course may be to not eat any cake since there is a high likelihood that it may lead to a binge later on.

However, you should also consider that it will not be necessarily practical (or fun) to avoid having cake (or any particular foods) for the rest of your life. At least for me, having this list of can eat and cannot eat foods, although it may help me lose weight, ultimately cause me to fail when it came to maintenance since I never learned to deal with my eating problems (I only avoided as best as I could). So, at some point I would feel like I am "no longer on a diet" and start eating the "cannot eat" foods, which will take me down my old paths.

In some ways, it's better to start learning how to deal with our particular eating patterns and eating certain things in moderation (within reason). So, from that perspective, I would say, have a small piece of cake within your points and deal with it--maybe brush your teeth as soon as you come home so you won't feel like eating any more or go to bed earlier. For me, learning how to eat like a normal person came with practice. It was hard in the beginning but got easier over time.

I'd agree 100% with this - life isn't about never being able to have the stuff you love. We FC's just need to learn moderation, and balance. If you're doing the balance thing - which you obviously are - then a little taste of something yummy is not an issue. The control comes with just having a little.

You can do this!

[Lori Bell]

Totally agree with Robin on the moderation thing. I'll tell you, I have 3, count them THREE addictions. Food, (my first true love), alcohol, and cigarettes. I gave up all 3 and there is no way in heck I can have a beer and a cigarette and stop...If I had one beer and a cigarette to "have fun" because I'm "human", I'd be back to drinking a 6 pack of Budweiser every night and smoking a pack/day by the very NEXT day. The same goes with sugary/carby food. I have passed on lots of Birthday cakes in the last 19 months, and I'm at goal and feel great. I don't feel any less human by not eating it...However, I have decided to try the moderation thing as well (on several occasions). I once again tried having a small piece of dessert at a funeral just a week and 1/2 ago, and it sent me into one of the worst binges I can remember, I certainly did not feel human before/during/or after the event. I felt like an addict. I'm still working on losing the weight I gained from an hour of madness that happened 10 days ago. I totally can't do sugar. I know it, I fight it, and I lose every time I try to challenge it.

[rockinrobin]

Originally Posted by Havisham

I'd agree 100% with this - life isn't about never being able to have the stuff you love. We FC's just need to learn moderation, and balance. If you're doing the balance thing - which you obviously are - then a little taste of something yummy is not an issue. The control comes with just having a little.

You can do this!

But what if you've discovered OTHER things that are yummy? That don't send you into a tailspin? What's wrong with that? What if you've discovered that your former "yummy" foods make you crazed and super morbidly obese and risk your life? What if you're idea of "yummy" has changed? What if you your idea of what you love the most has changed? What's wrong with that? What if you've discovered foods that you LOVE and that LOVE you back? Some people will always have issues with certain foods. So be it.

The OP specifically expressed concerns about her eating that cake and it sending her into overeating for the days that followed. If this is her strategy, why is she not entitled to that? Why would we convince her of anything different?

[TXMary2]

I am counting calories so if it was me I would eat 1 serving of cake and count it. I would eat it slowly in small bites and savor it. I have been doing that with most of my food because one of my problems over the years is inhaling my food and not really tasting it. It helps. Eating slower gives your stomach time to tell your brain you have had enough to eat. Enjoy a small slice of cake and keep moving forward. However, if you think/know it would trigger you and make you want to eat everything in sight then don't do it. For me, I just know if I "deny" myself some enjoyable foods that NOT eating them sets me up for a binge because I feel deprived.

[Heather]

It seems to me that 2 viable options are being presented:

1) eat the cake if you want it, moderation is okay
2) don't eat the cake, especially if it will trigger cravings for other sweet foods and make you go off plan for a while.

I think both of these are reasonable choices, and now the OP gets to decide which one she wants. I'm not sure more discussion on the matter is really going to help.